


Love Bites

by Andreacnushin



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 04:02:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14127645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andreacnushin/pseuds/Andreacnushin
Summary: TaekWoon Jung has lived hundreds of years alone. He thought he would continue his solitary exsistence forever. That is until one woman turns his life upside down, and he'll risk anything to have her.





	1. Chapter 1

TaekWoon

 

The piercing sound of distant sirens filled my ears as clearly as if the large ambulances were beside me, their penetrating wails so familiar that I almost don’t hear them anymore. Tonight, I walked along on a sidewalk filled with cracks and plants that peeked out past the concrete, the fresh green sprouts shrinking in the cold but still not dead. That such fragile life could push past solid foundations was what drew me to this place time and time again. Tall buildings dwarfed me each way I turned, and I felt a calming solitude in the way they enclosed everything, boxing it all in. The city had changed every time I made my way back, but at its core it remained full of vitality and a spirit that couldn’t be diminished. The warmth of life pulled me to New York and I wandered it streets full of curiosity and wonder at what such short-lived beings could create.

Cold puffs of air left my nostrils as I breathed out, and I amused myself by managing not to breath at all, eager to see how long I could last. Winter was coming to the city but it still bustled with energy, the evening filled with people coming and going even at this late hour; it was truly the city that never slept. The street lamps flickered overhead as I leisurely went down one path and then another, looking for something new and interesting. It was hard, if I had to be truthful, to find much of anything that shocked or surprised me anymore. People wanted and claimed to be original but hundreds, thousands, and even millions had all walked the same path. Times had changed but human nature had not. There was cruelty and pain but it had shifted and twisted itself until it had learned to hide. No matter how advanced mentally and spiritually people strove to be, evil still lurked amongst the innocent. I knew that best of all.

The wind that grew stronger as it flowed through the thick press of towering structures, picked up around me and those also braving the elements tonight. We were in the same place but they shivered and pulled their thick coats closer to them in an effort to preserve their warmth. Unlike them I felt nothing but still I zipped up the black leather jacket I wore, the habit an affectation I could pick up to help me blend in. And that it was easy, that I could look like anyone else of this time and place, would’ve terrified anyone strolling by had I told them what I really was, what I could do to them. I was the terror that waited in the dark, the proverbial monster under the bed. To the detriment of my prey, I didn’t lurk in the darkness that people expected.

A man brushed past me in the dim light of the nighttime, his shoulder pushing roughly into my own, his face shrouded by one of those hooded sweaters that had become so popular over the years. It had felt like a butterfly’s kiss to me, the touch was so light, but I knew standing still was no normal reaction. Instead I jerked just enough to be believable and moved out of his way. I didn’t understand his frenzy but I took no offense to his treatment. If I had only decades to live, I would be rushing too. But that was not for me, I had already lived well past any human.

This year I turned 678 and I thought of all that I had seen. The birth and fall of great cities, empires and governments, wars and pain and terror. But through it all, what I had felt more acutely than anything else, was the inexorable passing of time. At once moving so slowly but still so quickly until all the years became a puddled mass of memory. I had experienced much of life, if not everything. I had lived through countless lifetimes and I was as cold and as unchanging as ice. There would be no easy death for me after 70 or 80 years; I had no real concept of how long I could exist. But the oldest of my kind were rumored to be thousands of years in age, hidden away from the world and sunk deep into the ennui of existence. I feared nothing but that I would fall as well, become lost in time. Because I was Vampire and there was no end for me.

 

 

 

I returned after daybreak to the establishment that I called home. My humble abode was not in any way humble, but it was hard not to be wealthy after living as long as I had. The huge apartment building was positioned in the middle of the city, the structure one huge skyscraper that went up thirty floors. And I had the penthouse suite. I’d bought the entire building under a pseudonym a decade or so ago and had left it to its own devices under the care of some discreet lawyers. The place had flourished and when I’d returned to New York, this was one of the places I’d wanted to visit most. My existence as a vagabond made me weary in stages and here I could come to rest.

 I could feel the heat of the sun’s rays peeking out through the city’s smog, but after my first hundred years, the blazing pain of the large star had no longer affected me. And those other things that people claimed could kill my kind? When I pretended to need food, I always ate the garlic bread at restaurants first. Full cloves of it had just as little use in repelling me as the buttery baked goods. Silver, you say? Not that either, and I always made sure I had such jewelry pieces to wear; they looked good against my pale skin and I had always been somewhat vain. Holy water and churches then, that must be my downfall, right? I wasn’t sure of religion but I had faith and that had led me to more than one church over my existence, I had even been baptized in the sanctified stuff to no ill effect. A wooden stake to the heart then, surely that would finish me! Alas, my skin was harder than such breakable items and any person would be hard pressed to get near enough to hurt me with any sort of weapon. Preternatural reflexes had honed all of my senses to razor sharp points and I moved faster than any jungle cat. I was meant to be the ultimate predator because my prey were humans.

Usually my suite was the place I went to when I wanted to see the world move. It was right in the thick of things, but high up and away from it all. I could watch the humans tirelessly for days, taking pleasure in knowing what drove them. But today I didn’t want to watch, my brain sought peace. I greeted the doorman with a slight incline of my head when I walked into the lobby, and felt a smirk grace my lips as I watched the tired man jump up from his seat at the concierge desk, clearly not used to seeing residents so early in the morning. I let myself into my private elevator, not waiting for the man to catch up, swiping my keycard across the digital panel ensconced the wall. Lazily, I stepped into the metal box and while it brought me upwards I shrugged out of the leather jacket, pushing the sleeves of my black sweater up and over my forearms.

My wiry muscles showed through the thin cotton and I flexed my hands, tracing the veins in them with my eyes. Those same lines were filled with the blood of others, their essence keeping me alive. For the first few decades of my second life, I had struggled with what I’d become, what I had to do in order to survive. I had not chosen this life, it had been thrust upon me and I hated what it took for me to be one of the living. But as time passed I saw it as merely as transaction and nothing more. I didn’t kill when I fed and that would have to be enough for my conscience, there was a limit to the fight against nature and the beast that lived inside of me.

The doors of the elevator finally stop and I swipe a different keycard over the door in front of me. I detested the dated usage of cards, but no scanner can read my cold finger-prints. Sighing, I enter my home and fling the jacket over the large white sectional that takes up a pitifully small section of my living room. My space is sparse and impersonal, much like myself, but still there are things I love in this room. The feudal Japanese era katana that rests above my dark grey fireplace, the 16th century Persian rug in blue and silver that reminds me of deserts and hidden oases. My kitchen that is large and modern, full of stainless steel appliances and any kind of cookware imaginable. At one point in my long life, I had studied cooking and it was something I enjoyed even to this day. While I didn’t need to eat, I could do it and that was one thing I had wanted to keep that was normal; I had already lost so much.

Floor to ceiling windows took up one entire wall of the penthouse, the city’s skyline view one that was breathtakingly beautiful even after having seen it come into existence. In that secret part of me, I was relieved that I could still feel awe in seeing it. Life had changed so much from when I had first become what I was and it was gratifying to see mankind’s abilities at work. If the humans could overcome their limitations and reach for the sky, surely I could do the same. I left the main living space and went to my bedroom. Here I kept the one thing that could bring me peace like nothing else. My eyes roamed eagerly over the black grand piano that sat on a raised dais to the right of the bed I rarely used. I ran my fingers lightly over the keys as I sat down on its bench, the comfort of it like a welcome home.

I had always made music, even in the beginning. Those memories had faded and were indistinct in their clarity, just too human. But I remembered my father placing the Sogonghu, the small harp into my hands and showing me how to pluck its strings. Then I had stumbled with unsure fingers, making half sounds in the imitation of song. Now, though could play many instruments, the piano was my favorite and I pressed the glimmering keys lightly, feeling the vibrations move through my fingers. Here I could feel alive again when so much of the time I felt dead and gone. I played a piece by Handel, one that was at times whimsical but bordered into madness as it went on. Key changes, modulations, and finger work that would tire any human after one play through is one that I repeat over and over again. In this moment I feel connected but I know that if I stop it will all come to an end. I had nothing holding me here to this life and I wondered if I could survive another 600 years as I’d lived the ones that had passed. Time stretched on infinitely before me and I didn’t know if I could face it alone any longer.

 

 

 

 


	2. Red Strings

TaekWoon

 

Some things had always bothered me about the false perceptions laid at the feet of vampires. One that grated on my nerves especially had to be the so-called fact that we slept in coffins, or beneath the dirt and in damp places like caves. Who would intentionally make themselves so uncomfortable? Now it was one thing to sleep in discomfort because your body would shut down otherwise, but the fact was that I very rarely needed sleep at all. Of course I grew tired, I wasn’t invincible but I could sleep for an hour and be fine for almost a week.  It was just one of the many perks of being the undead and throughout the years I’d had to fill my waking hours accordingly. When you didn’t sleep there were so many things you could do, so many things that you could master. What took humans years to learn may only take me a few months and more often than not, I excelled at anything I tried. It was inevitable, and terribly boring so nowadays I often traveled and explored instead of seeking to increase my already expansive knowledge.

But just because I wasn’t sleeping often didn’t mean I wanted to be locked up inside a wooden box. While I rarely used it, my own four-poster bed was king-sized and lushly covered with thick Egyptian cotton sheets, the best duvets money could buy, and fluffy pillows that I imagined must be what clouds felt like. These creature comforts, I reasoned, kept me more human. And something else that was intensely human had to be the dreams that I experienced during rest. Even in my humanity, I had been plagued with nightmares, and becoming an immortal hadn’t changed that much. Today as I finally lay down in exhaustion after hours of playing the piano and having gone much longer than my usual week in between sleep, I sank into my bed gratefully and let unconsciousness take me.

 

I’m in a large open space but I’m not alone; I can feel the presence of others around me and I slowly take in the details, the scene all too familiar. The cavernous underground courtroom is cold and dank, it’s rough walls thickly hung with spider webs and all manner of foul odors seep out of the swamp-like grotto that fills up half of the cave’s available standing space. The Romania outside this tomblike place is just as cold, grey and uninviting, but nothing can keep my spirits down today. There are maybe twenty or thirty of us in attendance, all of us covered in black robes that not only mark us as witnesses but also as Master vampires. Our positions are coveted by many, but the weak don’t survive in our immortal community and we are a representation of its strongest. I had scraped my way to the top and here I was, only 250 years old and already on one of the vampire councils. I felt giddy and immensely proud of myself; who else could’ve accomplished so much so soon? Many said I was the youngest to have ever been made council and those thoughts made my head grow even larger. I drew my hood back importantly to look at the vampire kneeling before myself and the others, his arms held outstretched on each side by two other vampires who held him. His head was bowed low and I felt myself sneer at his weakness, unable to stop the reaction even though inside I knew better. The man’s name was Cornelius and he had given in to his bloodlust, destroying a small village and draining every human in sight. Had he not been caught, his killing spree could’ve gone on until the world knew of us. And so accordingly, the council had gathered here to give him a trial. It was my first judgment and I knew what I would say, had practiced it out loud multiple times to make sure the words were just right, not too pompous but with just enough bite so that the condemned man would know the risk he had put us all in. I would calmly explain why he had to die for his sins.

One by one, the council members spoke in turn, denouncing Cornelius and his loose ways. As the youngest I went last and surely that day my words were the harshest. The arguments flowed easily just as I practiced, and I was even prouder that when I delivered his sentence of death, Cornelius whimpered, his deep red eyes dripping with blood instead of tears. Callously I ordered his death and then I watched as he was torn viciously apart, his bodily viscera sprayed onto the fresh robes I wore and his screams slowly dying until they became mere whispers and then nothing. I looked on with wide eyes as they burned the pieces that remained, the fiery sulfuric smell one that assaulted the nostrils. And when it was over and nothing remained of Cornelius but ashes, I remembered that I had played a hand in his death, that it might as well have been me who’d dealt the final blow. I felt sick that day, and everyday thereafter when I’d thought about what I’d done; no matter his crimes, who was I to judge a man’s sins when my own were too great to count? In an unprecedented move, I left the council willingly and never returned to that country. My decisions had haunted me ever since.

 

I opened my eyes slowly, cracking open one lid and then the other, convinced that I’m still in the courtroom watching a man scream and rage against his death, no matter how well deserved. All just a dream but the dreams I had were in fact memories; so vivid it felt as if I was in those moments once again, feeling the same emotions but two-fold. I wondered if I could go through a death like that, a final one this time. Because it was possible to kill a vampire; difficult but there were always those determined enough to get it done. And even our own kind could be persuaded to kill each other rather easily, from petty reasons to very grave ones. The surest way to a quick death would be to reveal what we were to the humans. Then those policing bodies like the council would take charge, extinguishing your life as easily as blowing out a candle. Frightening to some maybe, but what was death to me really, when I had already lived so long?

I felt as old as my years as I eased myself from underneath the covers, my regret at having slept even so little making my bones heavy. I entered my bathroom and stared at my reflection, wishing for once that the inability to see my reflection was a real thing. Instead, I saw all my faults clearly. My hair was mussed, dark circles lurked in their usual places under my eyes, and those eyes themselves showed all the torment that I felt inside. Turning away in disgust, I divested myself of clothing and stepped into my marble shower, switching the dual shower heads on to full blast. I bathed quickly and dressed in a white cashmere sweater and black jeans. I traded out my leather jacket for a long coat, the ends of it reaching near the backs of my knees. I left my apartment in a hurry, feeling suddenly claustrophobic in my large living space. My thoughts had always been dark but this was too close, too real. I needed to get out among the living and even I could see the irony in that thought. Surely someone who was already dead had no hope of salvation, could have no delusions of true peace.

 

 

I walked for a long time, uncaring of where I went, time seeming to move at a standstill. It was daytime when I left and then suddenly the next day was upon me. I had not rested, had not seen where I had gone, but somehow I had made my way to the busiest section of the city. I looked at nothing and everything until I saw her across the street, waiting impatiently for the walk sign to flash green just like the thirty other people standing there on the corner with her. She shifted from foot to foot, her head bobbing in time the music that played through bright purple headphones that covered the top half of her head. The cordless device sat atop a white knitted hat and underneath that a profusion of curls shot out, the mad spirals intricate in their wildness. She stared straight ahead but her eyes were far away, her mind somewhere else. If the girl had only seen what was in front of her, the hunger in my gaze, I have no doubt that she would’ve run. Lucky for me, she paid me no attention.

A beep sounded and like rats people scurried from all four corners and converged into the walkways, all intent on their goals. Heads down, eyes averted and their minds elsewhere, no one cared when I switched directions to follow the young woman going in the opposite direction I’d been heading in. I shortened the distance between us until I was close enough to pick out her heartbeat from those that surrounded us in the small crowd. I took the opportunity to stare at her unabashedly as she walked ahead of me. She was taller than average but no more than 5’6, her legs long and sturdy. The color of her skin was the brown of onions caramelized to perfection in butter, her lips were full and tinted red by her lipstick. Her eyes were almond shaped and slanted slightly in a catlike fashion, hinting at Middle-Eastern ancestry somewhere in her family history. She was dressed casually in jeans and an oversized sweater, with short black boots that were covered in zippers that had no apparent use. It was warmer than it had been the night before, but her ease in such cold let me know that she’d probably grown up here in New York, her body acclimated to the weather. But these small inferences I’d made weren’t enough, I needed more. There was nothing to do but to continue following her. Because for some reason, I had become enraptured.

 

 

 

It was still very early, or very late depending on how you thought about it, and many people would’ve shown their fatigue, but this girl fairly hummed with energy. I followed at a safe distance behind as the streets grew less crowded the further we went from Times Square. The girl’s steps were light and quick, purposeful as she moved forward. I could tell that more than likely she was going to her job, but the air of dejectedness most people had on their way to work was absent. Perhaps she enjoyed her work? I had to admit, my voyeuristic curiosities were peaked, I wanted to know more about this woman. Something undefinable drew me to her, beyond just her outward appearance. Although it was nothing to sneeze at, something else was pulling me in, had made me sit up and take notice when just an hour ago I was contemplating my own death. I wanted no such escape now. She was in front of me and I could think of nothing else.

 

The small shop that the woman finally stopped in front of rested in between a large cafe and a similarly sized clothing boutique. Both places were still closed but I watched as the woman wrestled with the metal screen that barred burglars from entry, looking for all the world like a child trying to move something heavy. She flung a string of curses at the gate, calling it all sorts of names and telling it that it’s days were numbered. It was a cute scene, watching her huff and puff away until she raised it fully, and then seeing her small celebratory dance play out in the middle of the street. But it was only four-thirty in the morning and there was no one watching but me.

Even more intrigued than I’d been before, I searched for a good place to spy that would suit my long-term purposes. The roof of the boutique was too low, but the cafe had no rooftop seating and I climbed up the back of its stone edifice easily, my fingers making slight indentations into the hard material as I used it to leverage myself to the roof. I was at as much at ease standing as I was sitting, it mattered little to me and I could maintain myself for extended periods of time no matter how much it might have discomfited a human. My body didn’t produce waste as such since the blood I drank was a fuel used in its full capacity. Instead, the only time I needed the facilities was when I actively ate. Since I hadn’t done so for a few weeks, I had no urgent needs to take care of. Concerned about being spotted from below though, I sat cross legged on the concrete platform and watched the woman to my heart’s content.

The girl flicked on the lights and while she entered and locked the door behind her, I felt a smile spread across my cheeks, a rare occurrence but the situation warranted it. She was a baker and this was her shop; with everything now illuminated I could not only make out the baked goods and the counter used for customers, but also the kitchen where she made her wares. From my position, I had a direct line of sight to not only the front door of her place, but also a good view of the back room. It boasted only a small window, but I could see the girl clearly through it and I watched her go about her routine with an ease that came from constant repetition. She was a study in grace, her movements practiced and effortless as she prepared several types of dough, cake batters and cookies along with accompanying frostings and fillings. She had turned on music and the classical piano pieces reminded of times long gone, when those same songs had been brand new to the world.

The girl hummed as she worked and one by one her table filled up with uncooked delectables. The assorted pastries and breads that had longer cook times went into her industrial sized ovens first and as she waited, she was busy marking down items from what were clearly yesterday’s leftovers, none of them stale but if she was making fresh products daily, she needed it off the shelves. I had to admit that I was fully engrossed in her world by the time she began taking out the first few batches of breads and sweets she’d prepared, but I wasn’t ready for the smells that assaulted me as she propped open the small window in the kitchen. The delicious scents of warm bread, thick cake and some heavenly smelling cinnamon-sugar somethings wafted over to my rooftop and I felt my mouth water. My excitement rose another notch; she was actually good at what she did and after weeks of not putting a single morsel of anything edible near my lips, I craved what she had made. And my craving for the life-giving substance that ran through her veins? I hadn’t felt any bloodlust at all and that should have warned me away if nothing else had. But my head was filled with her and I couldn’t resist, I didn’t want to.

 

I stayed there all day, watching people go in and out of the place. She seemed to run it alone and when there wasn’t a customer in front of her, she ran about at a frantic pace to keep ahead of her orders. It was fascinating to see it all unfold and before I knew it, hours had passed and the day had gone by. The sunset came early these days but after a glance at my watch, I realized it was five o’clock already. Most businesses closed but some customers were still inside the shop, taking their time over their selections. The woman had gone to the backroom and she took a quick breather while she waited. I looked closely as she gulped down water from a bottle, the movements of her throat keeping me locked in place. I was suddenly thirsty as well, and I tried to push the feeling back, not wanting it to taint one of the best days I’d had in a long time. But it seemed as though my own body’s inclinations wouldn’t be calling all of this to a halt; instead that role fell on humans outside of the girl’s shop.  

Three thuggish men had grouped themselves just to the left of the woman’s building and although they whispered in voices pitched low, I heard them as clearly as if they’d stood next to me. And what they were saying enraged me.

“Yo, man you sure about this?” the first one said in irritation. “This place looks small as hell, it can’t be having the type of cash flow we need.”

“Negro, didn’t you see how many people done went in and out of there today? All that’s cash, my dude. And that bitch owns the place, she’ll have it on her, no doubt.”

“That’s right,” the shortest agreed with the second one. “We’ll get her on her way home, I already staked out her place and it’s not too far from here.”

“She live alone man? I ain’t about to get in no fight over a little green, you feel me?”  

“Naw, she ain’t got no man. All we gotta do is rough her up a bit and that paper is ours.” The men fist bumped and casually walked by the bakery, eyeing the inside of it until they went by completely.  

My blood felt like it was boiling in my veins and I barely resisted the urge to leap out of my hiding place and drains those fools until they were dead. Such weak and mindless men; to rob a defenseless woman would have been the height of shame in my own time. Now it seemed that such things no longer mattered, decency and righteousness were things of the past. But that was alright, I would give them an old-fashioned beating and teach them the error of their ways. But first I had to protect their would-be victim.

I’d stayed away on purpose, knowing full well that my attraction wasn’t normal in any way. I had always liked to people watch, but this had gone further than any time I’d done it before; I’d never followed anyone and watched them all day on purpose. Still, I had to go in because there was no other choice; who knew when those idiots would try and attack the woman? I walked to the back of the café and nimbly jumped down from my perch, the impending darkness shielding my actions. I made my way hesitantly to the front of the shop and waited until the last of her clientele had left, their hands full of cupcakes. I made myself push open the doors and I looked around the space, taking everything in. Somehow it looked different even though I’d been watching all day to finally see it in person. I ducked down to view the goods, nodding to myself as I examined each one in detail, the intricate lace-like work she’d done in icing on one three-layered cake making me pause in delight.

“We’re going to close in a few minutes” a sultry voice said from in front of me and my eyes snapped over to her. She stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the shop itself, her shoulder leaning into the doorjamb. The woman’s eyes were crinkled in amusement and a small smile played around the corners of her lips. No doubt she had been watching me and maybe I would have been embarrassed to be caught staring, but just now I stood stock still for a different reason. 

Our eyes had met, and like I’d been kicked in the stomach, I couldn’t breathe and my heart was pounding so loudly I was sure she could hear it. Like a thread had been wrapped around my ankle to hers, something clicked and locked into place. My hands began to shake so I stuffed them into my pockets, afraid that she would see. I was about to lose it, and I didn’t know how to gain my composure. Those thugs were outside and they’d planned on hurting the girl, but I knew I’d never let that happen. Now I realized with even more clarity that I would never allow even one hair on her head to be touched. What I had felt snap tight in between us was no normal thing, it was something known only to our kind. It didn’t happen often but when it did, it was irreversible. It was no wonder she had drawn me in, no wonder that my need had seemed unquenchable no matter how long I looked at her. This girl and I were Fated and now that I knew, there would be no letting her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, back for round two! I'm going to be moving faster than my usual stories becuase obviously this is a short story (Though I have no idea how realistic that statement is tbh) so the pacing will be faster than normal. Hopefully you guys are enjoying so far and you guys caught the significance of this chapter's title! I've been having lots of fun imagining scenarios for this story and I'm hoping it's coming across well. What do you guys think will happen next, what do you like so far? Let me know down below and remember to Comment, Upvote and Subscribe for more content!  Much Love <3


	3. Just Desserts

Zoie

He was staring at me, like that really deep into your eyes and seeing into the depths of your soul and beyond type of staring. Not like how he’d just been looking at my confections, with that slightly amused smile gracing his full lips. That had been cute and flattering, but his look now was anything but. He stared at me as if he saw who I was inside and had found what he’d seen there extremely pleasing. He looked as if I was a delectable cake and he wanted to devour me whole, and I felt a warm shiver flow through me when our eyes had connected. While I’d never been hurting for male attention, I was feeling pleased and a little off balance at the same time. I couldn’t look away from him, too caught up in the magnetism he radiated. Trance-like, I moved closer to the counter, our eyes never disengaging from each other’s. His gaze melted me, the deep brown of his eyes like pools that I could drown in. In the moment like I was, my heartbeat still managed to skip around like it was jumping rope and my mind wandered.

 

Today was more than a little abnormal for me, aside from meeting the man who looked as though he wanted to eat me whole; in fact, the main reason had begun with my need to cover the shift of my one and only worker Annie. She was my cashier and a people person, the one responsible for the day to day interactions with the shop’s customers while I stayed happily hidden away in the kitchen. But because of a bad case of the flu, she’d become bed-ridden and there had been no other alternative on such short notice. With double the work to be done, I’d come in earlier than usual to get my day started. I was by no means a morning person so once I had realized that I needed to be up even earlier than usual, I’d only slept for a few hours the night before and woken up as if I taken an extended nap, making me feel much more drained than usual.

 

I was eagerly looking forward to the end of the day, but one final customer had come through the doors in a long black coat, with his shoulder length black hair tucked up into a half up half down style. His skin was pale, smooth and would’ve been without blemishes save for the small birthmark under his right eye. And those eyes? They were slanted and small half-moons that had closed up cutely earlier when he’d been amused at my creations, but now they pinned me in place with his piercing stare. Only his right ear was pierced but he wore two earrings in it, the first one a small chain that ended in a cross and the second a tiny silver stud. Ok, so maybe I had been ogling him just as hard as he’d been staring at me, but really who would blame me? He was a work of art and I was entranced by the way he looked and how he watched me. His eyes were dark but brimming with intelligence and something far older. That look of his, that’s what gave me pause, made me want to reach out to find more.

 

I pulled onto that part of me, the one that I liked to keep hidden away. It coiled and swirled in my belly and then spread throughout my body to encase me in a cocoon of energy. I felt it wax and wane, the power of it harder to control now that it had been so long since I’d bothered to make use of its gift. But I tried not to think of that last time, that moment that had ended my mother’s life in her attempt to save someone else’s. I pushed down the memories with an ease that only came with practice so that I could focus; the key was to not let my own spiraling emotions interfere with the energy and its process. The use of my empathic gift was something that I didn’t take lightly, not like in the past when I had used it daily. Back then it had come as easily as breathing to me; now it felt thick and slow, like honey flowing through a strainer. But still I was able to separate a tendril of it, and send it to the man in front of me, determined to know what his thoughts were, what his emotions could tell me.

I made that tendril probe against his mind until I could feel him. The first thing I got back was a sense of wonder, full and light. The next was weariness, and then caution mixed in with it, all placed in a jumbled mess. I skipped over that bit to save for later, not sure if this had anything to do with me. I thought of only what my presence was making him feel and in a moment his emotions shifted again in response to my pointed search. Elation, pure and unadulterated filtered through me, and then there was passion in spades. The depth of it filled me up and I felt my own feelings rising in response. And then past the lust that he pulsed out through our tenuous bond, there was something like a second skin around him, not quite natural and much older. Time wore on the man, and there was pain, such sadness and loneliness that was way too close to the surface of his emotions. He felt so much emptiness and once I had delved into it, I had to consciously hold back my gasp. I’d only felt such raw sentiments once before, when I had been trying to help an older man overcome crippling depression after his family’s passing. He had tried to take his own life but hadn’t succeeded and what had been left was something close to an empty shell.

But even with this man’s feelings in such a state, there was no weakness in the one before me. Even as I examined him and tried to go even deeper, there was still hope in him burning brightly. And happiness, so recent was now slowly swallowing the pain the longer I stayed a part of him. Confused but now somewhat surer of what type of man stood before me, I confidently gave him a smile and broke our eye contact. I pulled myself back again, the scan hadn’t even taken a minute and during the whole thing he hadn’t moved. I rested my hands against the counter and peered into the display, looking at the cake he’d admired earlier, finally breaking our eye contact.

 

I spent all my time working in the kitchen so I very rarely had any human to human time besides my employee, but if I had known I could meet drop dead gorgeous guys into sweets barely two feet away from my cooking sanctuary, I would’ve left it much sooner. I unconsciously wiped at my apron that was dusted with flour and smears of icing. I always looked messy after a day of work and I’d never cared if a man saw me in all my disheveled glory, but for some reason his piercing look made me want to appear put together. I returned his gaze with a frank glance of my own, running my eyes over every inch of him once again; if he could be direct then so could I, right?

“Is there something I can get for you sir,” I asked him and as if he’d been in a trance, the man in front of me blinked twice rapidly and seemed to realize that he’d been staring. I had felt him start a little in surprise, his eyes widening; it was a common reaction people had when they heard the raspy tone of my voice, so at odds with my frankly childish looks. I held back my giggle with a bite to my lip and watched as he gave me a small smile. I felt my heart pound when I saw it; such a small change but it caused a whole lot of fluttering to take place in my stomach. I shook myself internally, feeling somewhat ridiculous. I hadn’t had an instant crush like this since Bobby Walker in the 6th grade. Although this guy was hundred times hotter than Bobby had ever been, and now I was a grown woman, the feeling was too similar.

 

“My name is TaekWoon Jung”, he said as he reached out his hand to take mine. I put my own out automatically, unable to think past the timbre of his voice, the silky-smooth tone higher and softer than what I’d imagined it’d be. But I was in no way disappointed; it was beautiful to listen to. I waited to hear what he would say next, my hand being held gently by his until I belatedly realized he was waiting for my name in return.

 

“Zoie Fields, it’s nice to meet you TaekWoon,” I shot him a smile that was probably a little too happy but hey, he was a hottie and I had never been above a little flirting. He pointed to the German chocolate cake he had been eyeing earlier and I removed it from the display case, handling it delicately. With an ease born of practice, I had the heavy sweet wrapped in just a minute and handed TaekWoon the package. I received his card in return and swiped it as I read out his total. When I made to hand it back to him, our hands brushed and while I jumped at the spark that tingled its way into my fingers at the contact, TaekWoon only raised an amused brow, his brown eyes betraying nothing.

 

With an unspoken agreement, TaekWoon hovered nearby with the cake box held loosely in his hands, his expression full of interest even though I was only cleaning up for the night. Our words were quiet and hesitant as we talked while I worked, speeding through my remaining tasks faster than usual. Normally after an emotional reading I’d find myself feeling tired, but not this time. It was almost as if it had taken no effort to scan TaekWoon at all; for some reason he was open to me and I didn’t feel uncomfortable having him there with me even though we were alone; he gave off a calm air and I could tell he was an introvert. Used to being around someone who was naturally inclined to liking their own company like myself, I didn’t seem to mind the way he watched me quietly; I felt safe in his presence.

 

Full darkness had descended while we’d been inside and as per usual I was having problems with the grate on the door when we had left the shop. Without even a word to him, TaekWoon reached above my head and with one sharp tug pulled down the rickety iron sheet into place and locked it. Thanking him, I sent a dirty look to the grate and we began my walk home. We didn’t talk of anything specific, mostly about what he did; owning several companies and one building on his end, and what I did. Even though it was nothing particularly special, for some reason he was like a magnet to me pulling us together. Just like his voice his words were sweet, and he complimented me on being able to run a business by myself. But self-sufficiency had always been important to me and I even joked that he had no need to walk me home, telling him that I had walked these same streets for years by myself. But TaekWoon excluded an old-world charm and I was easily convinced to let him accompany me when he pressed. And more to the point, I was hoping for him to ask me out. At this point I would’ve said yes in a heartbeat.

 

“What made you want to open a bakery though,” he voiced his question while looking at me and I felt myself start to blush all over again. Shaking off the fluttering in my stomach, I tried to organize my thoughts.

“It was less wanting to, then it being in my blood I guess. Originally it was my parent’s bakery and they ran it together. After high school, I’d studied at the Culinary Institute of America, and I was working in Paris. I came back for a visit and during that time my parents passed away. I…just didn’t have the heart to sell the place, so I decided to run it on my own,” I finished somewhat hesitantly, unsure if I had given too much information. No matter that his interest felt genuine, he was still a stranger. Was it ok to let him know something so personal?  But TaekWoon’s grin was reward enough and I felt more than willing to give him all my secrets, even the ones I had kept hidden from myself.

 

“I dabbled in cuisine as well in my youth,” he told me. “Making good food is the best when there’s someone to share it with,” he delivered smoothly and gave me a pointed look. I bit my lip and deliberately looked away, fighting back a smile at his obvious innuendo. But I was inclined to make him work a little harder for the date he seemed to be angling for.

The moment was perfect and like every prefect moment in my life, ruination came after it. Before I could even understand what was happening, I felt TaekWoon’s emotions turn to rage and violence, I saw in tones of red when his feelings reached me even though I hadn’t tried to sense them. He moved his head quickly and grabbed onto my arm, pushing me behind him. Stunned I let myself be handled, and in my fear of him I would’ve ran away until I realized that it was no longer an option.

There were four men surrounding us, all of them carrying knives and flashing them menacingly in the light. I choked at the sight and TaekWoon tensed at my noise, shifting slightly to block me from their view. They shouted out orders to give them our wallets and I had already made a move to my jean’s pocket when he stopped me, touching me lightly as if he was afraid I would startle. I looked up at him in question, but he only smiled and then turned to look at the men, his mouth forming a frown in seconds. And then like smoke, he was gone from my side.

 

 

I quickly came to the realization that TaekWoon had let us get trapped purposely. The killing intent that I had felt pulse from him, that I had falsely assumed for a minute might have been directed towards me, had instead been on the thugs that were surrounding us. In truth they weren’t so menacing and without the weapons held in their hands, I more than likely would’ve tried to escape on my own.

But I had no need to do so; TaekWoon’s movements were lightning fast, and the dim illumination of the alleyway was making it even harder for me to see what was going on. One man was punched hard in the face and he crumpled to his knees while holding his nose, his voice keening in pain. The others rushed TaekWoon then with yells, and I took a step toward him, wanting to help. But just as suddenly, the knives were clattering onto the concrete, the dings echoing hollowly in the small space. The sharp cracks and pops that I heard next were followed by groans, but there were no screams; those were cut off and the gurgling sound of someone’s mouth being filled with blood was all that was left. One man was thrown across the alleyway, his body making a sickening crunch against the brick of the buildings we were in the middle of. He cried out but none of compatriots had time to come to his aid; TaekWoon moved like a boxer, taking each one out with the ease of a person who had been trained to fight. Against him, the men laying in the road hadn’t had a chance.

My heartbeat stuttered when I felt their terror, the absolute horror of what was happening to them heaped with confusion. Having used my abilities earlier had left me open and vulnerable and I tried to remember how to block out the emotions, building up a mental wall to protect myself. Because during the whole scene, I hadn’t felt anything but anger and strong need to protect from TaekWoon. But there was also something else now flowing through him and I spread myself towards him, needing to understand what it meant.

Hunger hit me like freight train, heavy and all-encompassing; his hunger. The need was overwhelming, and I watched as TaekWoon lifted one of the men from off the street and while he hung there, his feet several inches above the ground, he bent his neck and bit into him. I couldn’t stop the gasp that came from me next and I watched as he stayed there for a minute; I knew what he did even though he was only a shadow, I could see the man grow limp in his hands. I backed away slowly, not wanting to bring attention to myself, all my instincts screaming at me to run. But I couldn’t move, could only think that he had protected me, that his emotions towards me had never been violent. All of this had played out like a cheesy B-movie that I would’ve once laughed at; I would’ve been irritated at the main lead for not running away. And yet I was stuck in place, unwilling to leave him.

I flinched when TaekWoon raised his head what felt like an eternity later and dropped the man to the ground once again. The guy moaned, and I felt my pulse move again; this was good, he was still alive. So then, he was a vampire but he wasn’t a killer; this was great news for me right? Faster than I could see, TaekWoon was in my space, his head tilted curiously to the side. Those eyes pierced me once again and my mouth gaped like a fish’s, no words coming out.

“You didn’t run away even as I drank from them,” TaekWoon said in a questioning tone and I nodded, feeling intense heat pulse between the two of us. I was happy I could nod at least.

“Any sane human would’ve run”, he whispered and the sound of it was like the rustle if crushed velvet to my ears, the soft and almost sinful glide of his voice washed over me until I was burning. His face was only inches from my own and suddenly I desperately wanted him closer.

“I knew you wouldn’t hurt me,” I manage to mutter back, the weight of his presence making it a chore to speak out loud.

“And how could you know such things, Yeppunie, when you were faced with something so terrible happening in front of you?”  His whisper was sharp, as if he didn’t believe there was an once of good within himself. Hearing the hurt in the query, I unconsciously drew closer.

 

TaekWoon reached out a single finger slowly to run across my face, giving me plenty of time to flinch away if I wanted to. But I was eager for his touch and I leaned into the caress, knowing how crazy it sounded, knowing how impossible all this was. He was a vampire; would he believe me if I told him my secret?

“I could stay because I could feel your emotions, and that you wanted to protect me. I’m an empath,” I declared firmly daring him to contradict my words.

His finger stilled against my face and his eyes widened in shock and then seconds later narrowed into those increasingly familiar small crescents, a true smile forming on his lips. It was breathtaking to watch, and I felt my heart race at the sight, the heat of a blush rising to my face.

“Well, aren’t you just full of surprises little one?” He smiled, and his fangs glimmered in the street light. So close to my neck, close enough that I could smell the mix of sandalwood and sage that seemed to be his chosen cologne. I wanted to bury my face into his shirt, to finally show the weakness I felt in my heart. Instead, I passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys!!! Honestly, I have a very slim inkling about where this is going, so since I'm gonna need time to make it up, please bear with me, dear readers. Also, have y'all recently seen that TaekWoon has gone blonde again? Ugh, I may have to change up our vampire's concept, what do you think? Let me know how you guys feel about the story so far, what you want to happen next and your ideas on TaekWoon's hair choices lol! As always, please COMMENT, UPVOTE and SUBSCRIBE for updates. Much Love <3

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: A vampire au! I know it's not my usual style but I've always loved the bloodsuckers since I was a kid and Anne Rice is a huge inspiration to my writing. Here's my maiden attempt at this story and I hope you guys will enjoy. I know I have other stories, but enjoy this while waiting for updates! Remember to Comment and Subscribe for more content! Much Love <3


End file.
